Randeep Hooda prefers ‘best actor’ tag to ‘sexiest man’ title!

The Highway actor is well versed with tags and titles bestowed on Bollywood actors, Hooda himself has a preference when it comes to these varied labels

Randeep Hooda has no qualms about being termed as an “underrated” actor. Randeep made his Bollywood debut in 2001 with Monsoon Wedding is ready to be seen opposite Alia Bhatt in Imtiaz Ali’s Highway. Through his films like Jism 2, Heroine, Risk, Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, Jannat 2 and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, he managed to grab the eyeballs, but still seems to have not got his due in the industry. “I think it would be pompous to say I am an underrated actor. I don’t think it is for me to think and decide, it is for people to decide. But I am glad I am underrated than being overrated – that is something I would find hard to digest. But this is something that is good,” Randeep said.

The actor, however, agrees that he is yet to reach a position where just his name would drive people to theatres. ”I feel people look at movie trailers, music and then come to watch the film and because of the star. If ‘John Day’ was produced by some mega producer or studio and if they would have marketed it aggressively, then probably a lot more people would have come to see the film, if not all,” Randeep said.

“But, while working I keep doing independent films and I enjoy doing such roles. I feel that is a waste also as not many people see such films even after your hard work. But it is okay,” the 37-year-old actor said.

Randeep prefers being called the best actor than being tagged as the sexiest man in the world. ”I would like to be known as one of the best actors in the world because that is something that I would have earned. And being sexiest would come from my genes… it is something I was born with and not earned it for myself,” he said.

Randeep wants to keep doing both independent and commercial films. “It is important to keep the filmmakers interested in you so they can offer you everything and anything. We actors are not given work on the basis of audience poll, the filmmaker will cast you after they see and like your work. It is essential to do different kind of films and not get typecast,” he said. ”I have also seen a time in the past where I had no work, that time I did plays (theatres). I did not lose myself as an actor,” he said.